


some angels come from down below

by spaloon



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: F/F, dreams come true susie!!, susie meets alice for the first time and gets a little more than she expected, that au where the toons are in the studio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 05:08:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17037224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaloon/pseuds/spaloon
Summary: "I'll let you in on a little secret.I too really believe my characters are more than just drawings.They're alive. They're part of us.And I want people to know them as well as I do.I want people to be able to shake their hand, spend an afternoon with 'em.Love them."There was a lot more to the cartoon creation process than Susie thought. But for Alice, she figured it was worth it.





	some angels come from down below

The first time Susie met Alice Angel, she was just a sketch on a piece of paper. Only lines of charcoal coming together to create a sweet little seraph fit to rival all other animated starlets on the big screen. She sings, she dances- and most importantly, she was  _ beautiful. _ Joey had stressed this fact repeatedly at his work shops. Alice Angel was to be absolutely  _ perfect. _ And to Susie, from the very first time she’d laid eyes on her, she was.

The second time she’d met Alice,  _ really _ met Alice, well…

She was much more than just a silly drawing.

Joey had warned Susie beforehand, when he spoke to her in his office, that the creation process was rather… well,  _ unnerving _ , to say the least. But, he needed her there; for what, she had no idea. He had kept it a secret, but that was normal for Joey. Always so vague and mysterious.

Susie found herself on edge the entire time- the trip down to the dark little room where they kept the Ink Machine didn’t help- but the thought of seeing her, meeting the cartoon she voiced- the cartoon she had helped bring to  _ life _ \- face to face, was almost too much for her to bear.

Sure, the studio was used to seeing living, breathing cartoons by now. It wasn’t as if Alice was going to be the first; after all, that grinning demon took priority, as Joey’s favorite. Susie, personally, was never fond of the little imp. Even less so now, as he ran across the halls causing chaos for every worker in the studio. Boris was second, the other supposed  _ star _ of the show. He was less annoying, and even  _ cute _ , sometimes- but he still couldn't hold a candle to her angel. No one could.

The air in the pump room was damp, cold, and stifling all at once. Joey had locked the door behind them with a loud  _ clunk,  _ ensuring there would be no interruptions, no escape… Not that Susie would need to, of course. No sense in thinking like that. She couldn't think anyway, not with that damn machine’s noise, the sound of pressurized pistons pumping away, threatening to burst with the force of it and drown the two of them in the inky black ichor it carried through the studio.

Susie swallowed and brought a hand to her neck.

“Well,” began Joey, his usually booming voice now struggling to be heard over the clanging of metal, “This is where the magic happens! Where dreams come true. What do you think, Susie?”

“It’s a little loud,” she replied, eyes darting around the room. Big clear pipes sprouted from the thumping metal contraption, attached to the walls and spreading outwards, leading to god knows where, pulling ink through the building like a grotesque iron heart. More the stuff of her nightmares than any  _ dream _ s she’d ever had. But then, maybe Joey Drew’s dreams were different than hers.

The man chuckled at the answer like she was a child that had said something particularly ridiculous. “Of course! It’s industry, my dear. To be loud is to be heard, after all! I thought you of all people would understand  _ that.” _

Susie smiled nervously, not sure how to respond. “I guess I’m just a bit on edge… I mean, it’s a little dark in here, don't ya think?”

“Susie…” Joey’s normal jovial demeanour suddenly turned serious. Susie could tell in the way he said her name. “I’m about to share with you something very,  _ very  _ important to me. The miracle of creation, of life!” He threw his arms out, gesturing to the surrounding walls. “So few people get to see a miracle, you know… And you tell me you’re  _ nervous?  _ That you're  _ afraid?” _

“I just-” Susie sputtered, but he quickly cut her off.

“I just need to know if you can handle being here. That I didn’t make a mistake in letting you have this part.”

Susie nearly felt her heart stop. “No, wait, I-!” No, he couldn’t- he wouldn’t- …but the dead seriousness in his statement made it very clear he  _ would _ . And even the slightest idea of losing Alice, to have her voice given to someone else, terrified her beyond belief. “You know how much she- This  _ part _ means to me, Mr. Drew. I’d do anything for it. Please.”

That made Joey’s expression soften. “I know you would. And right now all I’m asking you to do is  _ trust me _ . You trust me, don’t you, Susie?” And then he smiled at her, his big, charismatic smile. The same smile he flashed at every employee meeting, the same smile he gave her when they had dinner together so long ago.

Down there, under the dim lights, Susie could see nothing behind that awful smile. Down there, it was the smile of a man that would sell her soul as if he owned it.

“... I trust you, Mr. Drew,” she said anyway. She never did like lying, but for her...

“That’s what I like to hear.” He patted her hard on the back, the tension in his voice slipping away like sand. Then he clapped his hands together and rolled up his sleeves. “Now, let’s make some magic, shall we?”

Susie stared as he moved around the machine like a madman, pulling levers and twisting valves, mashing buttons- all she could do was stand clear. The machine seemed to change its tune the more he worked, ever so slightly, quieter, more rhythmic and precise in its strain. It almost (if she could stretch her imagination that far) sounded like one of the little songs she and Sammy had written for the darling angel. The darling angel she was so  _ close _ to meeting in the flesh. That reminder was all it took to put her at ease.

“Now, Susie, I need you to come over here,” he said after a few minutes of this, and she saw him standing by a little pedestal that she didn't remember seeing before. She did as he asked, albeit hesitantly, and let him guide her hand with his own to rest flat upon the surface. She felt etches in the wood, circular in shape, but in the faint light and the cover of her hand she couldn’t really make them out. “Are you ready?”

He never removed his hand, almost pressing it down so she couldn't have moved even if she wanted to. Susie swallowed again, her mouth dry, and nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be, Mr. Drew.”

“Fantastic!”

Then, before her mind could even process what was happening, there was a white hot stab of pain in her palm. It shot up her arm and she cried out, wanting to pull away, but Joey wouldn’t let her.

“Shh, Susie, shh!” He coaxed. “The pain’ll go away soon enough.  It’s just like getting your blood drawn at the doctors office.”

There were tears stinging at her eyes and when he finally let go she quickly drew her hand back to see what had been done. There was a small gash in the tender flesh, still bleeding freely. It dripped down her arm and stained the wooden floor scarlet.

“What the  _ Hell _ did you do that for?!” she cursed, holding her hand to her mouth to avoid any stains on her shirt and skirt.

“You didn’t think we just created life with a snap of our fingers, did you?” Joey laughed, almost maliciously at her pained expression. “There’s always a price, Susie. But don’t worry! It’s just a small one. Think of it as…” He tapped his chin for a moment. “Think of it as a little  _ offering _ to our angel here. Helps with the process.”

As he spoke, Susie could clearly see what he meant: it was as if the pedestal was a sponge, greedily absorbing the blood on its surface and drawing it into the etchings in the wood. It was obvious now, the shape- some horrible mash of straight lines and circles that wasn’t quite what Susie knew as a pentagram but still held the air of one.

“An offering…? Joey, what…” she could barely breathe, watching the lines fill in. She was prepared to see something strange- of course she had always wondered what went on down here- but to see it with her own eyes… the Pie-Cut Pentagram holding her blood filled her with a sort of dread that settled itself deep in her stomach.

“I know what it looks like,” Joey was quick to defend himself, throwing up his hands. “But look-” and when he pointed to his own palm, Susie spotted, just barely, the shape of a thin little scar. “-I did it too. See, there’s a part of me in my work- quite literally!- and now, Susie, there’s always gonna be a part of  _ you _ in Alice. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

He was right- he was right, and Susie hated that. There had always been something about Alice that had drawn Susie towards her- the way she moved on that big theatre screen, the lyrics of every song she sung for her. From her halo to her sharp little shoes, all of it brought a feeling blossoming in Susie’s chest that she’d never felt for anything- any _ one- _ ever before. And now…

“Oh, eyes up, kid!” Said Joey, pulling her back to reality, reminding her of where she was. “You don’t wanna miss the big show, do you?”

Joey’s words weighed like stone in her mind, keeping her thoughts from spiraling out of control. This was really, truly happening. Susie could still taste the copper of blood on her tongue, the pain in her hand slipping into a dull pulse as her eyes turned to the Machine. Anxiety in her chest bubbled with the sounds coming from the ink within, making the foundations rattle and creak. It was like something was trapped inside- straining to be free, to breathe its first lungful of air.

_ Alice. _

The noise came first, then the drip of liquid from the machine’s giant spigot. Slowly, then a great rush of it, thick and black like tar. Susie could feel Joey’s hand on her shoulder, fingers digging into her skin. There was so much ink that Susie was afraid it would overflow and spill over. But it never did. Instead, there was one last sputter, and a large, bulbous glob spilled out, caught by the grate underneath. Just barely solid enough to keep from slipping through the spaces between.

Susie held her breath, and the machine too fell silent. The room, finally, was quiet… at least, it was, until the shape gasped, hoarsely, shuddering and raising its-  _ her _ crumpled form. She was large, dripping and black and faceless, with two pointed horns and a long spaded tail stretching out to match. Her physical form struggled to compose itself, arching forward and practically dragging herself from the confines of her old prison.

“It takes a second for them to figure out what they’re supposed to be,” explained Joey, catching sight of Susie’s horrified face. “Gotta let the ink dry and solidify before they start to look the part.”

Hands shaking, Susie stared, unsettled at the creature that was supposed to be her Alice. At the heavy, shivering body that crawled across the floor, leaving a trail of inky black behind. Her heart ached at the sight of it, and beyond better judgement she stepped forward on legs that threatened to buckle beneath her. The would-be angel rose her head at the sound, and Susie could just barely make out the shape of a halo starting to form, rising from the top of her skull. One eye, then two, then a mouth, bubbling up from the left side of her face to the other. Ink sloughed off as she moved further, as her monstrous body soon shrank and congealed and white finally began to bleed through like milk in coffee. Still wet and dripping, but there she was, in the flesh- or close enough to flesh that it didn’t matter one way or the other to Susie.

“Well, Susie, say hello to the one and only Alice Angel!” Joey’s voice was only a drop in the puddle that were her thoughts at the moment.

There was a time when Susie knew what she would say when they finally met- when the shock of cartoons really, truly existing next to humans wore off, of course. She’d went over it a million times in her head; how she’d show her the wonders of the studio, how they’d bond over their love of music and acting. How they’d make it big together and be even  _ better _ than that awful little demon. Co-Stars,  _ friends _ , and maybe even… Now, as Alice’s large black eyes locked onto her own, she felt all her preparations die in her throat. All she could manage was a quiet whisper of her name.

“Alice…?”

The angel, still on the ground, blinked and opened her mouth to speak-

but no words came. She furrowed her brow and touched her throat with a frown. ...Something was wrong. Susie wasn’t sure what to do. Joey gave no guidance, just stood there to the side. Watching and waiting to see what would happen. Well, it wasn’t like she needed him anyway.

Though her heart was still racing a mile a minute, she knelt down and offered Alice her hand, a small, nervous smile on her red lips. “Hello, I… I’m Susie. Susie Campbell. Why don’t we get you offa the ground, huh? An angel shouldn’t be laying around in the muck.”

Alice smiled at her- a truly angelic smile, one that could melt anyone’s heart. So sweet and perfect on her dripping, simpering cartoon face. No- not a cartoon. She was  _ real _ , and she reached for Susie with her white gloved hand. Her grip was still so cold and clammy, but Susie couldn’t have cared less, even as the ink stained her sleeves and skirt. The smell of it, the chemical scent of ink, was overwhelming.

That was when Alice kissed her.

She had done it so fast that Susie had no time to react or to jerk away. The angel’s fingers tangled into her blouse and pulled her close, pressing her wet black lips against hers. Susie could taste it, the acrid flavor of acetone, dripping down her chin and smudging her makeup. It made her dizzy- the smell, the taste, the feel of Alice’s hand on the back of her head to keep her there. Faintly, she registered the sensation of a forked tongue, flicking across her teeth, and as Susie opened her mouth to breathe properly it pushed its way inside. And the  _ teeth _ , sharp little fangs that scraped her tender skin. It was like Alice was trying to drag out every bit of her in a single kiss. Susie’s hands could only grab at her still-slippery body as she pulled against her, but didn't dare push her away. Not even as she could feel herself getting more and more light-headed.

And just as quickly, it was over. Alice broke away from the woman with a sweet sigh and a flutter of her eyelashes. Susie was left with her mouth open, black ichor caking the front of her shirt, sure to leave a stain not even the best soap would be able to get out.

“Ah… this is much better, don’t ya think?” Alice breathed, the voice Susie had given her ringing loud and clear. She stood tall, her body no longer wet and falling apart. Perfect in every way- save for the bright red lipstick that now smudged across her monochrome face.  _ Like fresh blood,  _ it occured to Susie, dully.

“I… what did you…” She could barely form words, could barely process what had happened. She felt… tired, almost- like Alice had taken something from her. But when she finally spoke, all of those thoughts washed away.

“Ya know, I’ve been dyin’ to meet ya, Susie,” the cherub gushed, clapping her hands together. “Yer singing voice is so beautiful, I couldn't wait to have it as my own, and,  _ gosh… _ ” she leaned forward to wipe the ink still dripping down Susie’s bottom lip with her thumb, winking as she did so. “It seems that yer voice ain’t the only beautiful thing about ya!”

Susie’s skin burned like it was on fire, and Alice’s compliment only made it more so. She touched where Alice’s hand had been, and for once in her life, she was truly too stunned to speak.

“Aw, shucks, doll! Don’t tell me cat’s got yer tongue. I really hope I wasn’t too forward,” the angel giggled apologetically, flicking her tail behind her. “It’s just the best way to get the right sound. Why, if I hadn’t, I’d probably be mute like those other finks up there!”

“I-It’s alright,” stuttered Susie, trying her best to make her voice even as she stood back up. She just hoped to God her knees weren’t shaking. “Just… give a gal some warning next time, huh?”

Alice just pouted. “Phooey, I thought humans liked surprises!”

It was at that moment that Joey decided to make his presence known again, clearing his throat. He always was one to hog the spotlight. “Well, Alice, now that you got to meet Susie here… how are you feeling? A lotta people have been waiting for you, ya know.”

“Oh, gosh Joey, I feel just fine! This was a sweet little welcoming party ya threw for me, I tell ya,” she beamed up at him, rocking back and forth on her flats, her little tail swishing behind her. Susie didn’t recall her ever having a tail in the cartoon. “And I’m just itching to get up on stage and put on a show!”

Joey chuckled. “I’ll bet you are! You’re gonna make a lotta dreams come true, Alice.” Maybe it was her nerves, but Susie could have sworn he was looking right at her when he said that. It sent a shiver up her spine, made her very much aware of the taste of ink still coating her tongue. “And this world is in  _ definite _ need of its angel. So why don’t I take you outta this old gloomy room so you can meet it?”

“Well, I think that’d be just swell!” cooed Alice. As soon as Joey moved to open the door, she turned to look over at Susie, who had barely moved during the exchange. Smiling, she skipped over and took her hand in her own now very much warm one. “C’mon, Susie! Ya heard the Boss, they're waitin’ for us!”

“Right. Of course they are…” Though she was still quite shaky, Susie let her take her hand and lead her to the door Joey now held open for them. The expression he gave her as they approached was neutral,  _ happy _ even, but it made her uneasy all the same. When he re-locked the door behind she did her best to ignore what she could swear was Alice’s tail brushing the back of her thigh, even when the feel of it set her skin on fire.

“Oh, Susie?” Joey cut in, when they were finally back in his office.

The brightness of the room was a welcoming change to the dim light underground, and the air was a little fresher too. Alice had released her to look around, marveling at the posters and little plush cartoons lying about. She couldn’t help but stare; even in real life she moved so fluidly, like a dream come to life. Joey had known exactly what he was doing when he brought her down there. “... Yes, Mr. Drew?”

“Clean yourself up before you get out there, would ya? You look like Hell.”


End file.
